With the rust perhaps gone, Pedro Martinez will have rehab start No. 2 this afternoon.

Martinez’s second rehab outing will be with the Gulf Coast League Mets at noon in St. Lucie. The ace has had five days’ rest since his first rehab effort. That came last Wednesday night for Single-A St. Lucie, when Martinez gave up five runs in three innings, throwing 63 pitches versus Lakeland.

Mets bullpen coach Guy Conti said afterward that Martinez “got the rust knocked off of him,” so today should be a better outing.

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Since joining the Mets, Luis Castillo’s stats are better in two key offensive categories – strikeouts and RBIs.

In his first four months this season with the Twins, Castillo hadn’t struck out much, tallying 28 whiffs in 349 at-bats. But heading into tonight, he had 43 Mets at-bats with one strikeout.

The second baseman – who’s hitting .326 as a Met – also has five RBIs with the Mets so far. He had 18 RBIs with the Twins.

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Marlon Anderson should be back from the bereavement list tonight, meaning the Mets will have to make a move. Odds are, David Newhan will be sent to Triple-A.

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Moises Alou brings a five-game hitting streak into tonight, during which he’s gone 8-for-21 with three homers and six RBIs and raised his average to .311.

“When you get hurt, it’s tough,” Alou said Sunday. “There were a lot of expectations I had for myself. I’ve never been through anything like this, being out 2½ months in the middle of the season.”

– Additional reporting by Lenn Robbins

The long road to recovery

A look at key dates in Pedro Martinez’s attempt to return from a torn rotator cuff suffered nearly a year ago:

SEPT. 27, 2006: Martinez makes his final start of 2006, lasting only 2 2/3 innings and allowing seven runs to the Braves.

SEPT. 30, 2006: Doctors find the tear in Martinez’s rotator cuff, after he had already been sidelined with a torn tendon in his left calf.

OCT. 5, 2006: Martinez undergoes surgery to repair a torn right rotator cuff at the Hospital for Special Surgery in Manhattan.

FEB. 13: In his first appearance at the Mets’ spring training facility, Martinez offers the All-Star break as a target return date.

ENDOFMARCH: As the Mets break camp, Martinez remains behind in Port St. Lucie to continue his rehab.

March 7: Martinez plays catch, throwing a ball for the first time since his surgery almost six months prior.

MAY 25: Martinez heightens expectations for his return, telling reporters, “I saw Roger [Clemens] pitch the other day, and without a doubt I can do that and probably even better at this point. I can probably throw as hard or maybe harder. I feel like I’m in better condition.”

JUNE: Throws a series of bullpen sessions in Port St. Lucie, gradually upping his pitch count and staying on pace for an August return.

JULY 23: Returns from an almost three-week scheduled hiatus to throw his second simulated game.

AUG. 2: Throws another simulated game after his first rehab start is rained out, exceeds planned pitch count of 45 in throwing 67.

AUG. 8: Martinez surrenders five runs and six hits, including two home runs, in three innings in his first rehab start with the Class A St. Lucie Mets. Martinez threw 63 pitches and struck out five without walking a batter.